Sausages and Salamis

A proper old-fashioned butcher’s shop should be able to supply you with natural sausage casings. We buy what are known as ‘hog’s pudding’ casings from Luscombe’s in Tomes, and have on occasion bought ‘ox middles’ from the enterprising delicatessen in Dartmouth.

‘Ox middles’ are the larger intestines from beef carcasses. Similarly, hog’s pudding casings are the large intestines of pigs. They arrive fully prepared by the butcher, preserved in a brine solution which just needs to be rinsed off before use. The easiest way to do this is to stretch one end of the casing over the spout of the cold tap, with the rest lying in the sink or bath. Turn on the water, and let it flush through the full length for a couple of minutes. Rinse the outside too, and then they are ready to use.